Mr. Speaker, June is Brain Injury Awareness Month, which is something my family will be talking about as much as possible, because we know how quickly one's life can change.
My sister-in-law Karen fell down the stairs last August and suffered a massive brain injury. After two surgeries and three weeks on life support, my brother had to make the difficult decision to remove Karen from the machines that were keeping her alive. Her brain had limited function, and we were told she would have no quality of life if she lived.
However, this is a happy story, because Karen not only survived but recovered 100%, which was something nobody thought possible. The brain is an amazing thing, and more research needs to be done to know how brain injuries can be overcome.
On behalf of my brother and our whole family, I would like to thank all the wonderful caregivers, doctors, nurses, and specialists who saw our family through this very difficult time. I encourage all members of this House to support brain research.
I would also like to take this time to wish a very happy birthday to my sister-in-law, Karen McGinnis O'Hagan.